Palestine Football Association appeals FIFA's decision on Israel to top sports court
The Palestine Football Association (PFA) has appealed FIFA's decision not to sanction Israel over clubs in occupied West Bank settlements to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The appeal was filed on April 20 after FIFA cited the unresolved legal status of the West Bank. Visa issues have also prevented some PFA delegates from entering Canada for the FIFA Congress.
The Palestine Football Association (PFA) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against FIFA's decision not to sanction Israel over clubs based in settlements in the occupied West Bank, a senior PFA official said, as visa issues affecting some delegations heighten tensions ahead of the FIFA Congress.
The PFA has long argued that clubs in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank – illegal under international law – should not play in competitions organized by the Israel Football Association (IFA).
FIFA said last month it would take no action against the IFA or Israeli clubs, citing the unresolved legal status of the occupied West Bank under public international law.
"Since we have exhausted all possible legal avenues within FIFA, we will still follow the rules, follow the books, and we will appeal that decision because we believe it is very unfair," PFA Vice President Susan Shalabi said after the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Vancouver on Tuesday, two days before the FIFA Congress in the same city.
"The FIFA Council decided after 15 years of deliberation on this matter to make no decision. So the only recourse we have is to go to CAS and appeal. We will go through the entire process until we achieve justice."
She later told Reuters that the appeal was filed on April 20.
CAS has not published the appeal and could not immediately comment outside of business hours on Tuesday. FIFA could not immediately comment. Reuters also contacted the IFA.
Shalabi said visa issues have also prevented some PFA representatives from entering Canada for the FIFA Congress, which takes place on Thursday.
She said she received an electronic travel authorization instantly because she applied with a foreign passport, but other members of the delegation, including the PFA president, the secretary-general, and legal advisor Gonzalo Boye, initially did not get visas.
She said the visas were only granted after pressure "from the political level, social level, media level," as well as action from community members and activists, adding that the PFA president did not get his visa in time to travel with the rest of the delegation but is expected to arrive later.
She said Boye still has not received a visa and will not attend.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said it would look into the matter.
Shalabi said the visa issue is not limited to Palestine, and she understands that the Iran football federation, whose representatives were not present at the AFC Congress, also faced problems.
"As you can see, this is a big event coming up. We have a World Cup, and it is good for Canada to have people from everywhere able to come and take part in this event," Shalabi said.
She added that the situation for Palestinian football remains dire, especially in Gaza, where she said all football facilities are either unusable or destroyed.
"We have lost many, hundreds of footballers; most of them are children," she said. "As for football in Gaza right now, there is absolutely no football anymore."
"It is very dangerous for our teams to play," she added, noting that professional leagues have been suspended and the PFA is trying to keep football alive through grassroots and youth competitions.
